Overlooked synergistic effect induced by fe-mo dual-atom catalyst in water remediation: Enhanced electron management and efficient pollutants pre-activation

This study uncovers a synergistic Fe-Mo dual-atom catalytic mechanism that enhances peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation and pollutant degradation through dynamic electron management and substrate pre-activation. A nitrogen-doped carbon-supported FeMo dual-atom catalyst (FeMo/NC) was synthesized and systematically analyzed using XAFS, in situ Raman, DFT calculations, and electrochemical tests. The FeMo/NC-PMS system achieved 99 % ciprofloxacin (CIP) degradation within 10 minutes (rate constant: 0.402 min −1 ), maintained > 90 % efficiency across pH 1–13, and exhibited minimal Fe/Mo leaching (<0.1 ppm) with 90 % retention after five cycles. Mechanistic studies revealed that Mo stabilizes Fe valence states via electron transfer, strengthens Fe-N coordination, and promotes pollutant pre-activation on Mo sites while enabling selective 1 O 2 generation at Fe sites. This work establishes a dual-atom design strategy to optimize electron redistribution and interfacial interactions in Fenton-like systems. The demonstrated compatibility with membrane filtration (100 % CIP removal in wastewater) highlights its potential for practical water remediation applications.